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After the holidays you feel sensations of sadness and apathy? Your mind oscillates between thoughts like, "I don't want to, going back to work after the holidays" and feelings of guilt such as "I have no reason to feel bad, I should be grateful and full of energy"?
If you recognize yourself in these words, do A deep breath: you are not strange, you are not ungrateful, and it is not laziness at all. You are simply experiencing post vacation blues. In this article we will explore together how to legitimize this feeling and, above all, how to turn it into a precious opportunity to start again with a extra gear.
The post vacation blues, or return, is a psychophysical reaction that includes depressive states and anxious, following the return to everyday life. In short, a very normal adaptive response of the brain to a rapid change of context.
Research suggests that this decline mood affects between 57% and 75% of workers in the very first days after returning from vacation. Indeed, from a study published in the New York Times it emerged that 45% of workers cannot even manage to enjoy the last remnants of summer to the fullest, precisely because of the apprehension related to the resumption of daily activities.
During the holidays, the brain suitable for a completely different stimulus regimen: absence of daily novelties, indulged biological rhythms and a strong sense of pleasure. This combination causes neurotransmitter production to soar related to well-being, such as dopamine and serotonin. Abrupt return to routine generates a relative drop in these molecules, which the nervous system temporarily perceives as a loss.
Curiously, contrast acts as a an amplifier. The more intense and rewarding the holidays have been, the more the impact with everyday life is marked. This is why, paradoxically, the The most beautiful holidays are often followed by the most emotionally difficult returns.
Fortunately, the re-entry syndrome it has a short duration: the peak of discomfort is concentrated in the first 3-5 days to resolve spontaneously in one or two weeks. Only if the post-holiday depression should persist in a disabling way beyond 2-3 weeks, it may be useful to talk to a professional.
To address this transition, the The first step is to make peace with your symptoms, recognizing them as a neurological re-adaptation process and not as a personal weakness. The Re-entry syndrome can manifest itself with:
The secret to managing the return is not is gritting your teeth, but orchestrating a timeline of soft actions that accompany the brain back to normal.
Avoid the Monday morning wall. Try to get home a day earlier than necessary to enjoy a day bearing. Use it to unpack, shop, restore gradually sleep schedules and plan the week without the clock that ticks.
Organize something nice to look forward to short term: a weekend out of town or a special dinner. Waiting activates the anticipatory dopamine. In addition, it immediately replenishes physical exercise: the Movement releases serotonin and BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or brain neurotrophic factor, a protein that serves to protect, grow and connect neurons).
Finally, do a little debriefing: Write down 3 things you loved about your holidays and ask yourself how you could integrate them, even in a small way, into your urban routine.
Avoid immediate overloads. Proceed for small victories by ticking off simple tasks, reset your rituals morning and give yourself strategic breaks to gradually reactivate attention without stressing the nervous system.
Choose foods rich in amino acids precursors such as tryptophan and tyrosine. Include dried fruit in your shopping (walnuts and almonds), oats, eggs and dark chocolate. Even foods rich in of Omega-3, such as salmon or flaxseed, and those containing vitamins of the group B, such as dark leafy vegetables, are excellent allies for fight mental fatigue. Remember to take care of hydration: a brain well hydrated, it is less prone to mood swings and drops in concentration.
Reset your circadian rhythm working on environmental signals. Expose yourself to natural sunlight from the early morning hours to block melatonin synthesis and communicate to the brain that it is time to activate. In the evening, take the reverse route: Reduce your exposure to blue light from smartphones and PCs at least an hour before sleep. Maintain consistent bedtime even on weekends, and avoid Train at high intensity in the evening hours.
The post vacation blues is a reaction adaptive temporary, which usually dissolves spontaneously within a or two weeks. The phenomenon becomes a signal to pay attention to if apathy persists markedly beyond three weeks. Anxiety about returning becomes disabling or if sleep disorders become chronic, preventing you from normal working days, it is advisable to contact a psychological well-being professional.